Oatmeal-Chocolate-Cherry Moon Pies

Posted by Luane Kohnke on Mar 20, 2012 in Recipes, Wheat-Flour Cookies | 10 comments

When I saw this recipe, I was immediately drawn to the cherries, pecans, and chocolate chips nestled among oats. It reminded me of a cookie I made years ago for my high school sweetheart, Billy V. This version, adapted from Bon Appetit Feb 2012, is the same “all in” cookie, made even better by the addition of marshmallow fluff.

Oatmeal-Chocolate-Cherry Moon Pies
Makes 18 to 24 sandwich cookies or 36 to 48 unfilled cookies

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup dried tart cherries, chopped
1 cup pecans, chopped
3/4 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (4 ounces), chopped into chocolate chip-size chunks
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (packed) dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 7-ounce jar marshmallow cream

Preheat to 350°. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Combine oats, cherries, pecans, and chocolate in a large bowl.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in another large bowl, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat to blend. Scrape down sides of bowl. With machine running at low speed, gradually add flour mixture; beat just to blend. Stir in oat mixture with a wooden spoon just to blend.

Using a #40 cookie scoop, place cookies on prepared sheet. Using your hands, gently press down on each dough ball until 1/2″ thick. Bake cookies for 12 to 18 minutes. Bake until golden brown and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft. Do not overbake. Let cookies cool on baking sheets.

Just before serving, spread 1 tablespoon marshmallow cream on bottom of half of the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies.

Store unfilled cookies airtight at room temperature for up to one week.

Flourless Cashew Butter Cookies

Posted by Luane Kohnke on Mar 17, 2012 in Gluten-Free Cookies, Recipes | 16 comments

Unsalted, organic cashew butter and unsalted, roasted cashews make these dense, nutty cookies a great alternative to peanut butter cookies. And they are gluten-free.

Flourless Cashew Butter Cookies
Makes 18 to 24 cookies

1 cup unsalted, creamy, organic cashew butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten to 3 times volume
1/2 cup chopped unsalted, roasted cashews

Preheat oven to 350oF. Line cookie sheets with parchment.

If oil has separated from the cashew butter, stir until all oil is mixed in and has a smooth consistency.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, baking soda, and sea salt. Add cashew butter and beaten egg and stir with a large spoon until combined. Stir in chopped cashews. The dough will be a little crumbly.

Using a medium cookie scoop, drop 1 1/2-inch balls on prepared sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. With the bottom of a glass or back of a spoon, flatten the balls to 1/2-inch thickness.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely on cookie sheets.
Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Baker’s note: Cashew butter is sometimes less moist than peanut butter. You may want to add 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil prior to mixing.

Chocolate Stout Brownies

Posted by Luane Kohnke on Mar 14, 2012 in Recipes, Wheat-Flour Cookies | 12 comments

These delicious brownies are moist and deeply chocolate with a subtle bitterness from the stout beer. They can be served with or without the chocolate beer glaze and sprinkles. A great dessert for Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations. Adapted from Bon Appetit February 2012.

Chocolate Stout Brownies
Makes 16 brownies

1 cup stout (such as Guinness)
16 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped, divided
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
Sprinkles or festive décor, optional

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9x9x2″ metal baking pan with foil, leaving a 2″ overhang. Bring stout to a boil in a medium sauce- pan; cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 12 minutes. Let cool. Reserve 1/4 cup stout.

Stir 12 ounces chocolate and 1 cup butter in a medium metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Let cool.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer set to high speed, beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl until light and frothy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Fold in chocolate mixture in 2 to 3 batches, then fold in 1/4 cup of stout. Fold in flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake brownies until surface begins to crack and a tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool for at least 20 minutes. Stir remaining 4 ounces chocolate in a medium metal bowl set over a sauce-pan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Add reserved 1/4 cup reduced stout, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; whisk until well blended.

Pour warm glaze over brownies, and sprinkle with festive sprinkles and decor. Let stand at room temperature until glaze is set, about 40 minutes. Cover and refrigerate.

Using foil overhang, lift brownie from pan; cut into squares.